‘Absolute mayhem’ leads to parking ticket program in Calgary school zones
The city’s parking regulator has begun a concerted crackdown on motorists illegally lingering in restricted zones in front of schools.
A snowballing number of complaints from schools about parents unsafely dropping off or picking up their children has led the Calgary Parking Authority to begin photo enforcement and the mailing of tickets, said Joan Hay, the authority’s manager of enforcement.
“People are parking there illegally and it’s become a safety concern,” said Hay.
“You would not believe the number of requests we receive from schools. . . Every year, we receive requests for additional enforcement.”
The approach, which began as a pilot project last June, is expanding this fall to eventually cover every public and separate school in the city with roving, periodic enforcement, she said.
The program is employing the authority’s camera vehicles in an approach similar to that facing other motorists who park illegally, she said.
In the past, tickets were handed out manually on a more ad hoc basis, said Hay.
But with ParkPlus enforcement technology, “we can go into these school zones and enforce the way we should enforce,” she said.
The problem of unsafe congestion around schools — with students darting out from vehicles into traffic and motorists blocking off crosswalks or impeding buses — has worsened throughout the city, said Darelene Unruh, Director of Area 2 for the Calgary Board of Education.
“It’s a busy time with an increase in traffic in drop-offs and pickups,” she said.
It’s possible that congestion is increasing due to the growing number of families with children attending multiple schools, said Unruh.
“Driving them might be easier than dealing with different bus routes,” she said.
Such gridlock was worse last fall with changes to bus routes that frustrated some parents, added Unruh, who said most of the problem is associated with elementary and middle schools.
In past years, there have been some “close calls” of students nearly being struck by vehicles amid traffic confusion in front of schools, she added.
The head of one community association said there’s a definite need for enforcement in his area.
“It sounds like in the mornings, there’s absolute mayhem; there’s nowhere for people to go; they park illegally in peoples’ driveways — anywhere to get their kids to the school door,” said Robbie Morton, president of the Evanston Creekside Community Association, an area hosting two elementary schools. “If they’re breaking the law, they should be ticketed.”
It’s up to individual schools to inform parents about traffic laws and possibly the crackdown, noted Hay.
“Every school has been notified,” she said.
Those school-area fines are typically $75, though that’s reduced by earlier payment.
Hay denied the crackdown is being used as a cash cow. “We want to make sure children get home safely and we’re reacting to hearing from more schools … We’re seeing more compliance,” she added.